Well, we gathered on Saturday to celebrate Tolkien's eleventy first birthday (1/3/03). I made seed cake using a recipe from one of the web sites referenced above. I am not an experienced cook so I could not tell from looking at the recipe how the end product should turn out.

I was thinking a seed cake, as used by Tolkien, would be a denser seeded bread more than a cake as we are used to seeing them. This came out very fluffy with the seeds mixed into the batter. It was very good and we ate it up but it wasn't what I am looking for.

And Julia is right. What about mushrooms and any other foods mentioned in the books? What "old" recipes are there for mushrooms? I admit, reading the story of carrying the basket of mushrooms away from Farmer Maggot's farm sure made me wonder what they were going to do with them.

Thanks very much for all the recipes and all the interesting information.

By the way, Julia, you are on! Hobbit feast sound good! I will be careful not to crack the plates, chip the mugs, blunt the knives or burn the corks.